Vizag Gas Leak: Andhra High Court Orders Seizure Of LG Polymers Plant
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has also barred directors of LG Polymers India from leaving the country, until further orders.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has ordered seizure of LG Polymers India Pvt. Ltd.’s plant in Visakhapatnam, in a direct fallout of the May 7 Vizag Gas Leak incident.
The court has also barred entry into the plant by all, except the committees appointed by the state government looking into the incident that killed at least 12 people and affected thousands others.
In its order dated May 22, the Andhra Pradesh High Court told the company’s directors not to leave the country without the court’s permission and instructed the authorities not to release their surrendered passports without its permission.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice Lalitha Kanneganti, was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations, including seeking justice on its own to the affected people, shifting the factory from the present location and taking action against the culprits, among other prayers.
The premises of the company shall be completely seized and no one be allowed to enter into the premises, including the directors of the company, the court said.
Twelve people, including a minor, were killed when styrene vapours leaked from the LG Polymerss plant on May 7, while several hundreds fell ill after inhaling the poisonous chemical at RR Venkatapuram near Visakhapatnam.
“We further direct that none of the assets, mobile or immobile, fixtures, machinery and contents shall be allowed to be shifted without the leave of the court," the bench said in its interim order.
“As stated before the court, the directors of the company have surrendered their passport and they are in India. However, we direct that their passports shall not be released without the leave of the court and they be not allowed to go outside India," the bench said in its order.
Also Read: Civil And Criminal Process That Ought To Follow The Vizag Gas Leak
The court sought replies from the state government and the Centre before May 26 and posted the matter for further hearing on May 28.
